HOUSTON -- Cycling champion and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong kicked off his statewide bus tour to gather support for Proposition 15 in the Texas Medical Center Tuesday.

Proposition 15 is a state amendment to invest $3 billion over the next 10 years for a Cancer Prevention and Research Institute in Texas.

Surrounded by legislators and medical professionals, Armstrong told supporters, "As a survivor and an athlete, I was never in the business of losing. I'm not in the business of Proposition 15 losing. We have the best and the brightest in the world to fight this disease. All we need to do is to show them support, give them the funding, give them the resources to do their work."

Every year, some 37,000 Texans lose their battle with cancer. Seven million people worldwide suffer the same fate.

The distribution of $300 million in grant money for Texas is groundbreaking.

Cancer survivor Gayle Clements said the investment in finding a cure for cancer is worth it.

Clements said, " Cancer is everywhere. I think and we have to work and we are going to cure it."

Proposition 15 will be put to Texas voters on No. 6. Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 22.